The Importance of Travel Safety – Part I
Are you thinking about travelling abroad to visit a new place? Exploring new locations is always fun and enjoyable no matter whether you’re by yourself or with someone else. However, having fun shouldn’t be your only concern once you reach the destination. The importance of safety should always be a concern for individuals who like to travel.
Here is some advice on how to be safe when you’re travelling and visiting new places.
- Always Be Mindful About The People Around You
- Watch Your Belongings Wherever You Go – Don’t always assume that the place you’ll be staying is a safe place. Check the internet or listen to what the employees of the hotel say. Example: Barcelona – there’re so many pickpockets there that you HAVE to be EXTRA careful on who you befriend.
- Don’t Leave Your Belongings Unattended
- TSA Padlock – Use TSA locks so that you don’t have to worry about the TSA breaking your suitcase lock. The locks vary in price, $6-$30+, depending on where you buy them.
The following advice come from personal experience as I don’t want anyone to go through what happened to my family and me.
Barcelona, Spain, is one of the busiest tourist spots in the world. Are you thinking about going there? If you are, there is one place that I would advise you to be extra cautious, and that place is Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is somewhat like a marketplace, and as thousands of tourists visit, it is also a thriving ground for thieves.
Pickpockets aka thieves are not like ordinary thieves. They dress like tourists, and when you’re distracted, the thieves will snatch away your belongings. While my family and I were eating at Burger King at Las Ramblas market, my dad sat at the table while my mom and I went to the restroom. The three of us left our bags on an empty chair at our table, but when we came back to the table, my dad’s bag was missing. He thought we took it with us. When he figured out that it wasn’t the case, we called for the manager. I thought that it was one of the people who distracted us, but I had no proof. There was no CCTV, and nobody saw anything. We were told to report it and to go to the consulate. There, we meet other Americans who were there for the same reason. Dealing with the aftermath of the pick pocketing made us lose two days of tour. It was an experience that I never want to repeat.
Pickpockets in Barcelona are very fast, and it looks like they turned pick pocketing into a profession. The manager from the apartment on where we were staying even warned us about pickpockets, and look what happened to us the very next day!
Here are more helpful tips to keep in mind while abroad:
- Don’t wear clothes that scream out that you’re a tourist – On the day that we got mugged, I was wearing my Princess cruise jacket because I was excited about the cruise that we were going to take in four days. I still think to this day that we were followed and targeted because of my jacket. The thought of being mugged never crossed my mind.
- Always put your bags where you can see them – Don’t put them down or leave them where it is reachable for someone to take them.
- Try not to bring valuables with you.
- Try to blend in with what others are wearing or where they’re going
Human Trafficking also plays a huge part about the importance of safety. Always be on alert not only so that you won’t lose your valuables, but also so that strangers don’t get the opportunity to snatch you away. Don’t get distracted by your surroundings. Going somewhere and visiting attractions is one of the reasons for travelling, but don’t lose track of what is going on around you. Have fun on your vacation, and to avoid being so worried about your belongings or yourself, make sure to always keep an eye on your surroundings. And remember, if an occasion arises where you have to choose between your belongings or your safety, always stay safe!
